Chinese migrant mothers’ perspectives on educational challenges faced by primary-aged autistic children in London

Abstract

This study explores how Chinese migrant mothers understand and respond to the educational, social and emotional experiences of their primary-aged autistic children in London. Drawing on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with five mothers, it examines how interpretations of autism and parenting practices are shaped through migration, institutional encounters and everyday experiences. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with findings and discussion integrated to foreground participants’ narratives. The findings highlight that mothers’ understandings of autism are not fixed but evolve through ongoing interactions with schools, professionals and support systems. Rather than reflecting a simple shift between cultural frameworks, participants described a process of meaning-making shaped by experience, knowledge and access to resources. While structural challenges, such as delays in diagnosis and difficulties navigating the special educational needs and disabilities system, were significant, school-level practices were often experienced as supportive and responsive. Teachers’ everyday adaptations and relational practices played an important role in facilitating children’s participation, social interaction and emotional regulation. The study also underscores the central role of parents as active agents in navigating systems, seeking information and advocating for support, often under conditions of uncertainty. These findings point to the importance of distinguishing between policy-level provision and the lived realities of inclusion as enacted through everyday practices. Overall, the study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of migrant families’ experiences by emphasising the relational and contextual nature of meaning-making, rather than attributing difference to culture alone. While small in scale, it addresses an underexplored area and highlights the need for more accessible support systems, clearer communication and further research that captures diverse family experiences over time.